FUTURES FOCUS

       The SET50 Index closed last week at 483.67 points, a decrease of 19.73 points or 3.92% from the previous week. For SET50 Index Futures, the nearest contract month S50Z09 (expiring in December 2009), was settled at 476.4 points, a decrease of 23.6 index points or 4.72% from a week earlier.
       At the beginning of last week, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) declined because of more stock selling in many sectors, concern about the consumer confidence index and the fall in single-family home sales after successive increases since June. However, on Thursday the DJIA increased sharply after the release of many better-than-expected economic indicators. Most notable was the US third-quarter GDP, which grew at an annual rate of 3.5% after having contracted for more than a year, which influenced the confidence in economic recovery and listed companies' earnings. Even so, the Dow still shed 2.6% on the week to close at 9,712.73.
       In Thailand, the SET Index continued decreasing from the previous week because many foreign investors remained concerned about the strength of the economic recovery,while local investors remained in wait-and-see mode. Moreover,the Thai market would remain under pressure due to the Map Ta Phut case. A hearing on the government's appeal of the Administrative Court decision is scheduled for today.
       On the TFEX, average daily trading volume was 18,136 contracts, an increase of 1,468 contracts from the previous week. Open interest was 44,614 contracts, an increase of 876 contracts from the previous week.